Hillsong launches TV channel

Hillsong Church has launched a 24-hour television channel giving world-wide access to their worship, Bible teaching and conferences.

The church has partnered with Christian media company TBN to start broadcasting Hillsong TV.

The channel's now available to more than 100 million households across the world, three quarters of whom are currently in America.

Why Does Young Hollywood Love Hillsong Church So Much?

Hillsong UNITED packs arenas and tops the Christian charts consistently in the United States. They have built quite a following. Interestingly, Hillsong UNITED seems to have hit a chord with a group that has more influence than many: young Hollywood.

This appears to be a natural development out of of the friendship that several young music, TV and movie stars have with the leadership of Hillsong Church. Celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens count the Hillsong pastors as their spiritual mentors. Sports stars such as Russell Wilson and Kevin Durant share similar connections with Hillsong.

And when Hillsong welcomed Justin Bieber to their annual church conference in Sydney, the relationship between Bieber, Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz, and Seattle pastor (and friend of Lentz) Judah Smith was again in the spotlight.

Late in 2014, after an altercation with Orlando Bloom, Justin seemed to have reached a tipping point. As Christian Post reported at the time, he became a regular attendee of Judah Smith's Bible study. The difference in Bieber's life since he began attending that Bible study is evident. After several years of controversial behavior, Bieber appears to have turned a corner.

So what is it about Hillsong that appeals so much to this particular group? It could be the focus on Jesus himself, and their lack of concentration on evangelical 'fundamentalism,' which has fallen out of favor.

Another factor? Judah Smith, Carl Lentz and Hillsong UNITED worship leader Joel Houston, are adept at using social media. With frequent posts on Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter, these individuals provide ways to share the word of Jesus on a medium where these young stars love to share. Hillsong meets these Hollywood elite where they are: online.

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Vanessa Hudgens Credits Boyfriend Austin Butler With Bringing Her Back to Faith

Being Zac Efron’s girlfriend has its downsides.

“I went through a phase when I was really mean because I was so fed up,” Vanessa Hudgens told the New York Times about her three-year public romance to Efron.

The pair met on the set of “High School Musical” in 2005 and fell in love two years later. Their courtship would end in December 2010.

Seeing droves of young girls lust over her hunky boyfriend did a number on Hudgens, now 26.

“Girls were running after him, and I was giving them death stares,” she detailed vividly. “Then I realized that’s not what that’s about. ’Spread the love, be a good person, they support you, be nice.’”

Her currently relationship to actor Austin Butler is much healthier.

In fact, Hudgens credits Austin, 23, with leading her back to her Christian faith.

According to the article, the lovebirds attend services at mega church Hillsong. “It feels like Arcade Fire — it’s epic like that,” said Hudgens of the popular service. “They really focus on you having your own personal relationship with Jesus, which is wonderful.”

It will be curious how her attendance will impact her.  Justin Bieber also attends Hillsong but continues to generate negative publicity.

Also, her faith is still much in flux:

Her spirituality also involves crystals, dreamcatchers and flowers. “I’m a definite hippie,” she said. “I’m literally my happiest self when I’m dancing half naked on a grass field listening to Led Zeppelin.”